The story of martial artist Nguyễn Viết Hoà’s rise to fame moved thousands across the country when he appeared on the show for role – model talents “ Người Đương Thời”. He talks to Ngọc Lan Lan about his rocky road to success.

Nguyễn Viết Hoà stands firm, short and thin but with a steely glint in his eye. He may be barely 30 years old, but Hoà has seen a lot of action in his life. He has overpowered tragedy and poverty to emerge a highly influential figure in the world of martials arts.

Hoà was born to a poor family in a village in central Nghệ An Province. His father left when he and his siblings were very young, leaving his mother to raise them alone. As the eldest brother, reponsibility fell on Hoà to help support his family. When school was out he finished for food and looked after their livestock. Eventhough he had little time for himself, Hoà still a good student, and developed a love for martial arts early on in life.

But  tragedy struck.. When Hoà was in the tenth grade, his mother fell ill and died. Hoà left school, begged his relatives to take in his two younger brothers was forced to send his sister to an orphanage in Đông Anh District. With no food and no home, the young – ster had to scape a living together by fixing bicycles and selling mineral water. After a year, he had saved enough money to take his brothers and sisters home go back to school.

Hoà nurtured a dream – Hoà could only study the art through books and videos. But fuelled by enthusiasm, he was finally able to open his first martial arts club. Ngọc Hoà, in his high school and started  training seven students. He still remember April 21^st 1994, the day he first oppened Ngọc Hoà Martial Arts Group.

There were more knocks to come. Hoà failed the university entrance exam so he decided to pack up and head to Hà Nội where he could save money and revise for the next batch of exams. The harder he worked, the more determined he became to do well.

He succeeded. In 1996 he passed the Hà Nội University for Social Sciences & Humanities. The next fuor years he studued law and kept up his martial arts passion by teaching martial arts at smaill clubs. Then came his lucky break. He was invited to  teach  at Hà Nội Martial Arts Club.

He quickly became a well – known name and set up a karate club at his university. The club was so popular he opened more  at other universities, and more in his hometown in Nghệ An

“ It was very difficult to get a licence to open a martial arts club”, Hoa says. “ At the time martial arts was very popular, but there loads of cases where martial students get into fights or rob people, so authorities kept turning down my proposal”

It was not until his students won some prizes in Nghệ An’ Karate Competition that local authorities finally gave him a permit.

The dream was coming to fulfillment. In 2003, Ngọc Hoà Club became the first company of its kind in Việt Nam. Besides teaching martial arts, the company also trains and provides securityguards and bodyguards. At present aruond 30,000 students are signed up for courses. Classes are run across northern provinces, in Hoà Bình, Phú Thọ, Sơn La and Nghệ An,etc.

Now Hoà says he has everyting he ever wanted – money, respect and a happy family. “ I can rest now because I’ve worked enough for myself,” he says. “ It’s time for me to do something for other people, especially disadvantaged children”.

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